What government gave, they got back and more

"(M)y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Robert D. Morrow

"(M)y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

- Mitt Romney, 2012

In his now (in)famous remark about 47 percent of our nation, Mitt Romney insulted nearly half our country, calling us "takers." He said, "There are 47 percent who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them. ..."

Wait a minute, Mitt. I'm one of those "victims."

I resent being called a taker. Yes, I've had my share of assistance from the federal government, but I call it getting a helping hand. It's my way of "taking responsibility" for my life.

And, I've done my share of contributing to both the economy and society.

After graduating high school, I had no prospects of higher education. Only job I could get was a maintenance worker for the New York Highway Department, clearing brush in summer and sanding roads in blizzard-like conditions in winter. The future looked bleak.

With both (low-income) parents deceased, I couldn't borrow from them to go to college, as Mitt suggests. So I enlisted in the military. Spent four years serving our country and in return got low pay, three squares a day, free clothing. Sounds like a bargain - for the Air Force.

On discharge, I turned to another federal program for assistance with my education - the GI Bill of Rights (Roosevelt 1944).

It took eight years to earn my bachelor's degree, with on-and-off college, and many jobs along the way. Worked as an "inventory control clerk" for a company that made brake shoes (e.g. checking lunch boxes at quitting time for stolen factory items), was a grocery store clerk, and a library clerk at Ohio University, at 65 cents an hour. These were some of the menial, low-paying jobs I had.

Not sure if Mitt checked, but research confirms the overwhelming "return on investment" in the GI Bill. One study notes, "The report looked at how much extra taxes were paid by the 40 percent who would not have gone to college (that would be me) without the GI bill. The government and economy received at least $6.90 in return for every $1 invested." (Economic Agenda for Working People. New York: The Apex Press, 1997)

False career start - worked as an advertising copywriter for a company that made packings, seals and rings for pumps. From there to an ad agency. I hated the working conditions and finally changed careers, to teaching.

I again turned to the feds for help. I got student loans, which were discounted 10 percent for every year I taught in a high-poverty community. Did this for five years in a rural area in Upstate New York. Good deal for the feds and me. All loans and interest were promptly paid back.

Along came another highly successful federal program, Project Head Start. As a summer Head Start Director, I inquired into full-time employment with this most-worthwhile program. I received a fellowship from the Office of Economic Opportunity (another federal program) to attend the University of Illinois. Became a Head Start Regional Training Coordinator for two states, Colorado and Wyoming. This was a major turning point in my education career. Again, thanks to the federal government.

I returned to the University of Illinois to complete my doctorate. Was offered a fellowship and a graduate assistantship, both federal programs. Completed my doctorate and came to University of the Pacific. I had a career of nearly 28 wonderful years as a professor.

I'm convinced that thousands of Californians and millions throughout our nation followed a similar career path. As I noted earlier, 40 percent of GIs may never have gone on to higher education. Many of us did. It's not only our gain, but the country's as well.

Oh, and now that I'm retired, I'm also "taking" from a couple of federal programs, Social Security and Medicare, ones I paid into throughout my many years of employment. I don't feel this is ripping off the government, but rather it's collecting on my investments of over 50 years.

So, don't tell me I'm a taker. Sure, the federal government helped me in many ways. I feel society and federal government have gotten an excellent "return on investment."

I hope you think about this when you vote on Tuesday.

Contact Robert D. Morrow, regional manager of Bring Me A Book and a professor emeritus at the University of the Pacific, at rmorrow@pacific.edu.

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